Ream-while-drilling tool cuts costs of three Venezuelan wells
- Lagoven SA, Maturin (Venezuela)
- Corpoven SA, Norte de Monagas (Venezuela)
- Hughes Christensen Co., Maracaibo (Venezuela)
- Hughes Christensen Co., Maturin (Venezuela)
A new tool that permits simultaneous drilling and hole enlargement reduced drilling costs by more than $780,000 on three wells in eastern Venezuela. The new ream-while-drilling (RWD) tool was used for the first time in Venezuela in Lagoven SA`s exploratory well PTL-4X, in which an influx of formation gas in the top hole required an unexpected alteration of the original casing program. The modification of the casing program necessitated underreaming for the first time in the new field, located in the State of Monagas. On the basis of eliminating the additional 36 days of rig time and other expenses associated with the conventional reaming undertaken in similar wells in the area, the one-pass operation saved an estimated $634,834 in drilling costs. Because of the success of the PTL-4X operation, Corpoven SA subsequently used the RWD system in the Mulata field, where offset wells traditionally required an average of 1,973 ft of underreaming. One tool successfully drilled and reamed two wells and remained in a condition suitable for reuse. Corpoven ran the tool under a rental agreement and saved $146,782, when compared to three Mulata offsets. The paper discusses reaming experience, RWD tool design, and economic analysis.
- OSTI ID:
- 423105
- Journal Information:
- Oil and Gas Journal, Vol. 95, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: 13 Jan 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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